Santa is real. That’s the bad news.

Kevin Johnson joins me on Quills & Chills to talk about his debut holiday horror novel, ’TWAS THE NIGHT. A journalist investigating missing children finds herself in Yule, Maine, where the Christmas spirit comes with some deeply disturbing traditions.

’TWAS THE NIGHT is easily one of my top ten favorite books. Kevin and I talk about the characters who made it so much fun, the balance of humor and horror, and why Santa mythology is already pretty creepy before you add evil reindeer and murderous holiday decorations.

We also talk Christmas horror movies, the long road to publication, and two words that had me laughing so hard I had to stop walking my dog: “Drunkus erectus.”

As Kevin puts it, “We can all ruin the holidays together.”

FIND KEVIN JOHNSON ONLINE:

kevinjohnsonwrites.com

IG: @bookevinjohnson

Bluesky: bookevinjohnson.bsky.social

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Alma Katsu joins me on Quills & Chills to talk about Incarnate, a Dorian Gray-inspired horror story about beauty, ambition, and the cost of becoming someone else online. And this one gets under your skin.

We talk about influencer culture, the things people will do for attention, and characters who keep making you rethink whose side you’re on. Alma also shares how her years in intelligence and work as a technology futurist shaped the story. Naturally, that leads us into social media, deception, and my own early-morning TikTok habit.

Plus, our favorite moments from the book, keeping the spoilers in check. That ending? We saved that conversation for off-air.

Keep up with Alma through her Substack newsletter.

FIND ALMA KATSU ONLINE:

almakatsubooks.com

almakatsu.substack.com

IG: @almakatsu

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This week on Quills & Chills, I’m joined by actor, writer, and director Denise Devin from Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre in North Hollywood!

Denise has been part of Zombie Joe’s for more than 25 years, and we’re talking about what makes this wonderfully weird, underground theater such a special part of the LA horror community. We get into their legendary Urban Death Tour of Terror Ultra, how they create those short, disturbing flashes of horror, what it’s like sending an audience through those dark and twisty mazes, and why sometimes what you don’t show can be a whole lot scarier than what you do.

We also talk about Zombie Joe’s incredible range — from avant-garde horror to Shakespeare and even kids’ theater — and what has kept Denise coming back to this little North Hollywood theater for more than two decades.

Urban Death Tour of Terror Ultra runs October 9 through November 1 at Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre in North Hollywood.

FIND URBAN DEATH ULTRA ONLINE:

zombiejoes.com

IG| FB | TikTok: @zombiejoes

Tickets: zombiejoes.tix.com

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In this episode of Quills & Chills, I’m joined again by Jennifer Thorne to talk about her new novel, Newbourne Park, a dark, genuinely scary story that I absolutely loved. Jennifer describes it as “Saltburn with a supernatural twist,” and we dig into Martha, a 26-year-old caregiver who finds herself untethered after the death of her mother and agrees to spend a week at an empty Cotswolds country estate.

We talk about class, belonging, power, and the assumptions we make about opportunity and limitation, as well as what the house begins to awaken in Martha. We also get into the wonderfully terrifying Lady Lambert, the strange community Martha finds herself drawn into, some of the book’s more deliciously twisted moments, and the bigger questions Jennifer leaves us with at the end. Plus, we do a little dream casting!!

FIND JENNIFER THORNE ONLINE:

jenniferthorne.com

IG: @jennmariethorne

Threads: @jennmariethorne

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In this episode of Quills & Chills, I’m joined by author Matt Maxwell to talk about My Gifts Are Hungry, the fourth book in his Hazeland series, which also works as a standalone story running alongside the events of Queen of No Tomorrows. We talk about Grace Cather, a Valley teen who runs away to Hollywood and quickly discovers that the haunted house she’s landed in wants something from her. Matt and I dig into how the story evolved, the strange and acausal magic of Hazeland, and why Grace’s journey ultimately became a coming-of-age story.

We also talk about Ariela, the unexpected community Grace finds, writing a house full of very distinct personalities, Hollywood, haunted houses, and the sometimes brutal process of figuring out what a story actually wants to be. Plus, Matt gives us a tease of what’s coming next in Hazeland.

FIND MATT MAXWELL ONLINE:

highway62press.com

Bluesky: @highway62.bsky.social

MY GIFTS ARE HUNGRY: Available on Amazon

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Bluesky: @quillsandchills.bsky.social

In this episode of Quills & Chills, I welcome back author JC Vande Zande to talk about Coven of the Worm Moon, the third and concluding book in his Fletcher Family supernatural horror trilogy.

We explore how the series uses horror to examine grief, addiction, family, and generational trauma, and why this final installment shifts perspective to Carson, who lives with the constant voices of the dead. JC shares how the trilogy’s mythology evolved as he wrote, the growth of Emily’s nature-linked powers, and the complicated connection between Carson’s drinking and his supernatural gift.

We also talk about the book’s memorable Mackinac Bridge sequence, the meaning behind the “Worm Moon,” finding readers through BookSky on Bluesky, and whether Coven of the Worm Moon really marks the end of the Fletcher Family story.

You can find the book on Amazon & Kindle.

Follow JC Vande Zande online:

Bsky: @jeffvandezande.bsky.social

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In this episode of Quills & Chills, I'm joined by bestselling thriller author Marie Sutro to discuss her horror short story, "Return of the Grateful Dead," featured in The Strangest Fiction Campfire Stories: Volume Two.

We talk about how Marie found her way into the anthology after stumbling across a collection of campfire ghost stories in a Banff bookstore, and what it was like shifting from writing full-length thrillers to the precision of short fiction. Along the way, she shares her love of classic horror, campfire legends, and why people are drawn to being scared. We also explore how horror offers creative freedom beyond the constraints of police procedurals.

Our conversation covers twist endings, lingering trauma in storytelling, and even takes a fun detour into Batman Beyond before Marie shares where you can pick up the anthology and connect with her online.

FIND MARIE SUTRO ONLINE:

mariesutro.com
IG: marie.sutro

Facebook: MarieSutro

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In this episode of Quills & Chills, I'm joined by bestselling author Cherie Priest to discuss her novel, It Was Her House First, completely spoiler-free.

Cherie shares how a notoriously haunted house in West Seattle inspired the story and why she wanted to put a fresh spin on the classic haunted house novel, where ghosts can be terrifying without necessarily being evil. We talk about Ronnie, a DIY enthusiast navigating anxiety, depression, and grief after inheriting a dilapidated house following her brother's death. We also explore the novel's multiple points of view, from the living to the dead, including silent film star Venita Rost and the deeply regretful Bartholomew Sloan.

Along the way, Cherie opens up about her late ADHD diagnosis, the role grief and guilt play throughout the novel, her love of restoring old homes, and how the book evolved from its original title, The Hollow Face, into It Was Her House First.

Find Cherie Priest online:

cheriepriest.com
Bluesky: @cheriepriest.com

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